The Australian Government and state and territory central authorities will not become involved in, or assist with, subsequent sibling adoption cases before the sibling/s are legally adoptable in the country of origin.

You should be aware that state and territory adoption legislation and the requirements of the country of origin might affect your ability to adopt any known siblings of your adopted child or children. In some cases, if requirements have changed, you may no longer be eligible to adopt a child in your state or territory or in the sibling’s country of origin.

Applying for intercountry subsequent sibling adoption

You can indicate to your state or territory central authority that you are willing to be assessed to adopt any siblings of your adopted child or children in the future, but there is no guarantee they will automatically be placed you.

If you are thinking about subsequent sibling adoption, it is important that you do not make contact with overseas adoption authorities or persons with care of children. Contact should only occur through your state or territory central authority, until they advise it is appropriate for you to make contact.

If an overseas adoption agency or authority contacts you directly, you must immediately raise this with your state or territory central authority. Generally, contact with the overseas adoption agency or authority needs to stop if a subsequent sibling adoption is being considered for your family.

Immigration requirements

Australia’s adoption visa requirements are in place to protect the best interests of the child. An adoption visa will only be granted if specific immigration laws are satisfied, and the adoption has occurred through the appropriate channels.

If a subsequent sibling adoption is not arranged through the relevant state or territory central authority, there is significant risk that the child will not meet Australian immigration requirements and will not be able to enter Australia.

It’s important to know that subsequent sibling adoption is different to a relative adoption. This is because you aren’t related to the sibling/s of your adopted child or children, and the process of adopting your child legally severed the familial ties between your child and their birth family. This means, in the eyes of the law, there is no ‘relative’ to adopt the overseas sibling. To sponsor a sibling of your adopted child for an adoption visa, you must formally adopt the sibling to be considered their ‘parent’ under immigration law.